Jotul F3 - glass slipping?

[Jazzlesaurus]

Are stoves fair game to chat about here?

I've got a Jotul F3CB I've had installed for the last 2 years and it's been a great stove for our house and family. We went from 2.5 tanks of oil to less than 1/4, while burning ~3 cord.

When I got the stove it was in rough shape, I fully broke it down, replaced all the hardware and gaskets, the broken glass, the melted through grate on the bottom, and it's been cooking away since, with a few minor adjustments.

One thing that happens occasionally is roughly every 1.5 months the glass slips a cm or so and off the fire rope, causing an air leak.
The screws do loosen just a little bit, but I noticed on the hinge side there's a bit of casting that the glass corner can rest on to keep it from slipping. On the handle side, there's a spot that has a bit of extra metal with an indent, it looks like it could be or was maybe intended to be drilled and tapped, then a small block of metal could be bolted in as another edge for the glass to rest on should it slip again.

Has anyone experienced this, or attempted a fix like this? I don't want to crack the door of the stove if I'm putting hardware where it doesn't belong, but it seems like a nice improvement for the stove.

 

[Junk Meister]

Are stoves fair game to chat about here?

I've got a Jotul F3CB I've had installed for the last 2 years and it's been a great stove for our house and family. We went from 2.5 tanks of oil to less than 1/4, while burning ~3 cord.

When I got the stove it was in rough shape, I fully broke it down, replaced all the hardware and gaskets, the broken glass, the melted through grate on the bottom, and it's been cooking away since, with a few minor adjustments.

One thing that happens occasionally is roughly every 1.5 months the glass slips a cm or so and off the fire rope, causing an air leak.
The screws do loosen just a little bit, but I noticed on the hinge side there's a bit of casting that the glass corner can rest on to keep it from slipping. On the handle side, there's a spot that has a bit of extra metal with an indent, it looks like it could be or was maybe intended to be drilled and tapped, then a small block of metal could be bolted in as another edge for the glass to rest on should it slip again.

Has anyone experienced this, or attempted a fix like this? I don't want to crack the door of the stove if I'm putting hardware where it doesn't belong, but it seems like a nice improvement for the stove.

Apply a generous amount of common sense and RO-DA-DIEs

 

[Jazzlesaurus]

Apply a generous amount of common sense and RO-DA-DIEs

No idea what ro-da-dies is.

Common sense is sorted, I lack experience with cast and heat outside of the kitchen.
I was going to start with a heat tolerant threadlocker to reduce the tiny bit of backing out.

 

[Junk Meister]

Are stoves fair game to chat about here?

"On the handle side, there's a spot that has a bit of extra metal with an indent, it looks like it could be or was maybe intended to be drilled and tapped, then a small block of metal could be bolted in as another edge for the glass to rest on should it slip again".
IF this "SPOT" is raised like a boss intended to be drilled and threaded (tapped) heat and cold / expansion and contraction shouldn't be as critical.
If you drilled all the way through , How thick is the material /cast? maybe do a bolt and nut if that doesn't affect the aesthetics..

 

[Jazzlesaurus]

Here's the spot. I've got faith in it.

I haven't been able to find posts anywhere of people with glass slipping, so I'll try some vibratite hotlock on the screws first and see if the 1/4 turn they are backing out is the issue, and try this next.

 

[Junk Meister]

I would wager there is a screw/bolt broken off in that "SPOT/BOSS.

 

[Jazzlesaurus]

I would wager there is a screw/bolt broken off in that "SPOT/BOSS.

Hmm it looks like like there’s something there in the photo then in person. Might hit it with an ez-out and see what happens…

 

[Wonkydonkey]

I think it’s a broken clip as well. I googled your model (although I don’t know what I,m looking at) and came up with this screenshot. There are a few ipl's

I guess as a short term solution could be just a fat wad of fire rope wedged underneath on that that ledge to stop it droping.

 

[huskihl]

I concurr with the broken bolt, missing bracket theory

 

[Junk Meister]

You might try to get a flapper wheel and smooth the face to flat and shiny. Watch real hard for a telltale witness mark where the boss meets the cast. then you know where to counter sink and drill. most stove hard ware is soft to drill. Good luck

 

[Junk Meister]

Some times it is still hard to see and a minimal amount of heat from a small torch will taint a bit of color to reveal the edge of it.

 

[Jazzlesaurus]

I reached out to Kingdom Wood Stoves, he's something of a stove encyclopedia. He confirmed glass slipping is common on somme F3's, and some later stoves have a spot for an extra clip in that area but mine never did, so I think Jotul prepped the casting to support it in case it became an issue - interesting!

I got in there with a pick and ez-out and there is definitely no hardware in the spot.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

So what you gonna do.?

Wedge a fat bit of fire rope under the glass. Or just buy a bigger (taller) bit of glass so it just sits on that little ledge

It looks like it may work form where I’m seeing it

 

[Jazzlesaurus]

So what you gonna do.?

Wedge a fat bit of fire rope under the glass. Or just buy a bigger (taller) bit of glass so it just sits on that little ledge

It looks like it may work form where I’m seeing it

Most likely in spring after this burn season or towards the end of it I’ll drill and tap. I don’t want to risk cracking the cast without time to procure a new door. I figure if I do it towards the end of the season I can get a few test burns in and confirm if there are any issues with it.

Funny when I talked to Nicholas he mentioned he’s been tempted to do it many times but never did. Glad to have a resource like him not too far away should I need a spare door.

I think if I can run a bolt with a small spacer and an extra clip, or just a block of cast for the glass to rest on I’ll be in good shape.

This is OEM Jøtul glass, and definitely fits the curves very nicely but a tiny slip down and you’re letting air in.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Thanks for your detailed reply.i will be looking fwd to your fixit up ways

 

[Stihl036]

I think it’s a broken clip as well. I googled your model (although I don’t know what I,m looking at) and came up with this screenshot. There are a few ipl's

I guess as a short term solution could be just a fat wad of fire rope wedged underneath on that that ledge to stop it droping.
View attachment 477517

@Jazzlesaurus

Here's a photo of the inside of the door on my 1995 Jotul F3CB. It confirms the two large glass clips in use but also shows 4 untapped bosses. The glass does not rest on any of these 4 bosses though the photo looks like it might. I guess a minor change through the years. We use a 2004 Jotul F600CB these days and our F3CB sits in front of an unused fireplace for storage/decoration. It's not for sale.

The idea is that the glass 'floats'. If it were hard fastened heat expansion difference may break the glass. This is likely the reason for the design change. I'm thinking now that my glass shouldn't be resting on that tab like it is. It may increase the chance of glass breakage.

 

[Wonkydonkey]

Here's a photo of the inside of the door on my 1995 Jotul F3CB. It confirms the two large glass clips in use but also shows 4 untapped bosses. The glass does not rest on any of these 4 bosses though the photo looks like it might. I guess a minor change through the years. We use a 2004 Jotul F600CB these days and our F3CB sits in front of an unused fireplace for storage/decoration. It's not for sale.

The idea is that the glass 'floats'. If it were hard fastened heat expansion may break the glass.

View attachment 477685

Thanks…….. and ……love your Avatar

 

[Jazzlesaurus]

@Jazzlesaurus

Here's a photo of the inside of the door on my 1995 Jotul F3CB. It confirms the two large glass clips in use but also shows 4 untapped bosses. The glass does not rest on any of these 4 bosses though the photo looks like it might. I guess a minor change through the years. We use a 2004 Jotul F600CB these days and our F3CB sits in front of an unused fireplace for storage/decoration. It's not for sale.

The idea is that the glass 'floats'. If it were hard fastened heat expansion difference may break the glass. This is likely the reason for the design change. I'm thinking now that my glass shouldn't be resting on that tab like it is. It may increase the chance of glass breakage.

View attachment 477685

Appreciate another picture confirming what I’m seeing!! We had this issue a few times last year and once this year. I’ve considered quite a few things that could work and I think that “resting tab” indicates resting is ok but I don’t think locking it down is, given different expansion and contraction.

Thanks everyone for your input, interesting to see mfg changes and for different reasons.

 

[Stihl036]

This may be the same door as was used on the previous model, the Jotul F3, which did not have the secondary air tubes.

The air tubes may be throwing more heat to the top of the glass.

I will probably make sure there is a credit card thickness between the glass and the tab on mine. I believe the tab is there as part of the door latching system. Glass doesn't tolerate sharply focused pressure points very well is my reasoning.